Pet Microchipping

Pet Microchipping from Your Veterinarian in Livonia, MI

Pet microchipping often determines whether a lost or stolen pet returns to its worried owner. According to our veterinarian in Livonia, MI, a recent study found that among nearly 8,000 stray animals at shelters, dogs with no pet microchip were reunited with their owners around 22 percent of the time. For those with microchips, the figure was more than 52 percent. Cat percentages were even more dramatic. Fewer than 2 percent without microchips made it home, in contrast to more than 38 percent with this technology.

Microchips are tiny computer chips within glass cylinders. Each one has a unique identification number connected to its manufacturer’s online chip registry.

A chip becomes activated once a scanner passes over it. Its identification number displays on the scanner. Staff members at our Livonia animal hospital or at a shelter contact the manufacturer with this number. The manufacturer then contacts the pet’s owner.

Privacy should not be a concern. The only information in a registry is contact information owners provide to the manufacturer and update when necessary.

Benefits of Microchipping Your Pet

Microchipping your pet makes it possible for the staff at a shelter or a veterinary clinic to quickly scan the animal and set in motion steps to get it home. Microchips have no battery or moving parts, so there are no components to replace. In most cases, this maintenance-free technology lasts until the end of the life of the pet it protects.

Some owners assume that microchips function like global positioning devices. Although these radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips are not tracking devices, they create a permanent pet ID.

Owners considering adopting an animal from a shelter should ask if it has been microchipped. If so, all the new owner needs to do is contact the chip manufacturer and provide current contact information.

Unlike collars and tags, microchips are permanent. They cannot fall off a pet or become impossible for a scanner to read. Using a combination of microchipping plus pet tags on a collar is the best option for making sure a lost or stolen pet will return home.

Our full-service animal hospital in Livonia offers comprehensive services to meet all your pet's needs, from preventative care to routine medical and dental services, surgery, and emergency treatment. Call us today at 248-206-3030 to schedule an appointment with our Livonia veterinarian to discuss pet microchipping and to take advantage of a free consultation for new patients. Dr. Sharon Sheehy and the staff at Sheehy Animal Hospital in Livonia look forward to meeting and serving you and your pet.